1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outsourcing service apparatus regarding electronic drawing data, and more particularly, relates to an outsourcing service apparatus regarding electronic drawing data in a business model in which machining is performed by machine tools in a supplier based on the electronic drawing data prepared in an orderer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Machining of parts by machine tools in a supplier such as a subcontract factory based on electronic drawing data prepared in an orderer such as a parent company in accordance with design specifications thereof and delivery of the machined parts to a place designated by the orderer have been broadly performed in various manufacturing and processing industries.
The electronic drawing data prepared in the orderer is CAD data used by the orderer, and the CAD data (design CAD data) can be transmitted from the computer and server of the orderer to the computer of the supplier by a communication line directly or through a mail server of a provider of the Internet or the like.
Then, improvement of infrastructure for performing such a thing as described above has been progressing domestically and abroad, and it is conceived that placement and receipt of an order by printed-out paper drawings are going to be reduced.
However, the manufacturing and processing industries, and particularly, most of the subcontract factories (suppliers) performing sheet metal machining such as press machining are middle and small-scale in a size of cottage industries. Even if a subcontract factory is under an environment enabling the receipt of the CAD data, a supplier (subcontract_factory) even cannot open the CAD data unless the format of the CAD data from the orderer fits a format of an automatic programming tool (software) of a numerical control device owned by the one's company (supplier), or unless the supplier owns CAD application software fit to the CAD data from the orderer.
Therefore, in the placement and receipt of an order for parts machining and the like between the parent company and the subcontract factory, in spite of the fact that the CAD data exists, paper drawings printed out from the data have been delivered by mail, a parcel delivery service, a delivery service by motorcycle and the like in many cases. This is not only a waste of time but also will cause the subcontract factory or the like to miss business opportunities even if a good machining equipment is provided therewith.
Moreover, in recent automatic programming tools for the numerical control device, there have been highly functional ones having functions not only of preparing a machining program but also of preparing data of development views and solid views for the sheet metal machining, performing drawing and so on from the design CAD data. However, in long-time subcontract factories and the like, many factories do not use such new tools and depend on experiences of skilled workers.
Moreover, in the subcontract factories and the like, in many cases, switching of the automatic programming tool to new one is disliked, and one already accustomed to be used is desired to be used due to the existence of skilled workers and the shortage of personnel in charge of programming. Thus, limitations occur in reduction of work time. Moreover, even if the highly functional automatic programming tool is introduced, it is conceived that, because the way of its use is unclear due to its multi-function, the good highly functional automatic programming tool may not take an active part fully.
The present invention was made in order to solve the problems as described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide an outsourcing service apparatus regarding electronic drawing data, which is adapted to assist the use of the CAD data in the CAD and the automatic programming tool, which are owned by the supplier, and to assist the use of the functions of the highly functional automatic programming tool no matter how the format of the CAD data (electronic drawing data) from the orderer may be, thus realizing the reduction of work time and appropriate and efficient placement and receipt of orders.